All masses are invariant (rest) masses of bare nuclei

PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Relativity & Gravitation · Nuclear Physics · Nuclear constituents, size and binding

Relativity and Gravitation, Ch Mass as energy: binding, defect and annihilation

Problem

All masses are invariant (rest) masses of bare nuclei. Use

1\ \mathrm{u} = 931.494\ \mathrm{MeV}/c^2

m_p = 1.007276\ \mathrm{u}

m_n = 1.008665\ \mathrm{u}

, the carbon-12 nuclear mass

11.996706\ \mathrm{u}

and the helium-4 nuclear mass

4.001506\ \mathrm{u}

. Carbon-12 contains

6

protons and

6

neutrons. ((a)) Find the mass defect of carbon-12 in

\mathrm{u}

. ((b)) Convert it to the binding energy in MeV and give the binding energy per nucleon. ((c)) In the triple-alpha process three helium-4 nuclei, all at rest, combine as

3\,{}^{4}\mathrm{He} \to {}^{12}\mathrm{C} + \gamma

. Find the energy released,

Q

, in MeV.

Related theory

Nuclear Physics

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